Sin & the Body

Secular -

A man was stopped by the police around 2 am. The officer asked him where he was going at that time of night.

The man replied, "I'm on my way to a lecture about alcohol abuse and the effects it has on the human body, as well as smoking and staying out late."

The officer then asked, "Really? Who's giving that lecture at this time of night?"

The man replied, "That would be my wife."

Historical/Cultural Context -

Paul preached the gospel in Corinth in the early 50s AD during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1–18). When opposition grew fierce there, the Lord Jesus spoke to him in a vision assuring him that he had ‘many people’ in the city (Acts 18:10). With this encouragement, Paul stayed on for eighteen months, ‘teaching them the word of God’ (Acts 18:11). God used Paul’s ministry to bring about the birth and establishment of the church in Corinth.

Biblical Text -

1 Corinthians 6:12–20 NKJV

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle -

Life Point- Don’t Use Freedom As An Excuse For Sin

Exegetical -

1 Corinthians 6:12–14 NLT

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

Homiletical -

During this time many Christians were using the slogan “All things are lawful for me”

This is truly the case when it comes to matters of eatings meats sacrificed to idols or when it comes to long lists of legalism. This is not true as it pertains to sin.

It had become a slogan to do whatever one pleases. Specifically, Paul was writing about and referring to the sexual immorality of the Corinthian church.

To say that all things are permissible, including sin, would bring us into the bondage of sin.

Sin will cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay.

We have an epidemic today in most churches across America. Churches have redefined what things truly are.

We no longer call it adultery, we call it an Affair

We no longer call it gossip, we call it prayer requests

We no longer call it sin, we call it a mistake

No longer do we call things what they are.

why?

Because that might offend someone and make them leave our church.

You know what, let it be then.

we have unsaved, unregenerate people sitting in pews who don’t get offended because the Gospel is so watered down they don’t know what they should be offended about!

1 Peter 2:7–8 NKJV

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

Matthew 10:22 NKJV

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

2 Corinthians 2:17 NKJV

For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

There are too many people who go and start a church, but do not care about the Gospel. They are just looking for people to come give them a pat on the back or, in some cases, want to be worshipped themselves!

Some of these people are like Simon the sorcerer in the book of acts. He was a warlock, heard the word of God and burned all his books. It seemed like he got saved, but he didn’t

He tried to buy from Peter the power to lay hands on people and receive the Holy Spirit and Peter said to him, “may your money perish with you!”

He was seeking power and adoration over other people.

Acts 8:9–13 NKJV

But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

Acts 8:18–24 NKJV

And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

Life Point - Your Sin Hurts Everyone

Exegetical -

1 Corinthians 6:15–17 NLT

Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

Homiletical -

As a Christian, the sin that you will to do actually hurts the body of Christ, not just you.

Your spiritual journey is not only affected when you sin, but the local body of believers are affected as well.

How?

When you sin, you remove yourself from being effective in the kingdom.

You are focused on your sin, not on kingdom building. Not on evangelizing those around you. Not on sharing spiritual beliefs and concepts with a dark world.

Your mind is in a dark place when you are in sin. You are also setting a bad example for those that are not saved from sin.

They think, “why should I go to the church? They are just as bad as I am.”

Have you ever noticed sin is inherently “you” focused? It’s not about others, but about your selfish desires. Sin makes a person selfish.

Why?

Because that is the weakness in all people. If I can get you to focus on your favorite person, that is yourself, then you aren’t focusing on Jesus, His work, or the body of believers.

You see we are all needed in the body of Christ, in the local church.

We will get there later, so I will only briefly touch on this:

1 Corinthians 12:12–26 NLT

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

Life Point - Flee Sin & Honor God

Exegetical -

1 Corinthians 6:18–20 NLT

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Homiletical -

This is an interesting comment about this particular sin.

Many people have thought this is talking about disease and there certainly is an aspect in the teaching. However that is not what is in view here.

What is in view is our spirituality. That which we are bound to spiritually.

Ephesians 5:29–33 NKJV

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

This union, this joining of the two is a great mystery. Then Paul here says that he is also speaking about our unity with Christ.

Marriage is a sacred union that is to be honored, cherished, and protected. In doing so you protect yourself. To take this great mystery and taint yourself possibly physically but definitely spiritually with sexual immorality is a great wickedness.

When a spouse steps out on the other, they entangled themselves in emotions with that person as well. You see they are no longer themselves only but they have become part of each other. Even if the adultery ends, they will never be the same. Can they be redeemed? You bet they can. Will they ever be the same? Nope.

Nine times out of ten when a spouse steps out and commits that sin, they will separate. Why? Because they are now joined, albeit it in a counterfeit way, to the other person.

Sexual immorality is so pernicious because, amongst other things, it changes who we are mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

This is why it is called the sin against the body. It strikes at the core of who we are and whose we are.

Paul reminds us though that even if we want to commit our bodies to sin, our very beings to sin. We are not permitted to do so.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NKJV

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

God bought you; body, mind, and soul for a price. You are His slave and you do not belong to yourself. Would you do such a terrible thing in the physical presence of God?

Well if you do commit this sin you are doing it in His presence. The Holy Spirit is inside you.

By the way The Holy Spirit is a He, not an it. He is a person, the Third in the Trinity.

So what does command of you?

“To glorify God in your body and in your spirit.”

Life Principle–

Call to Action – altar call….